Shock absorber



Aug. 22, 1933. ULLERY 1,923,128

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed March 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I, INVENTOR.

ATTOR YS.

Aug. 22 1933. F, ULLERY L923,i2&

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed March 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORN?;S.

Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOCK ABSORBER Fred E. Illlery, South Bend, Ind., assignor to The Studebaker Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a Corporation of New Jersey Application March 10, 1932. Serial No. 597,969 6 Claims. (Cl. 236-93) This invention relates to a shock absorber or Figure is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of rebound dampener for an automative vehicle, and Figure 3. particularly to a thermostatically controlled valve Figure 6 is an elevational view of a portion of for such a shock absorber or rebound dampener, the thermostatically controlled valve constructed 5 and has for its principal object the provision of a according to the idea of this invention. 60

thermostatically controlled valve which will auto- Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of matically regulate the resistance of the dampener Figure 6. to rebound of the vehicle, to give the rebound Figure 81s an elevation or side view of a somedampeneraconsistent dampening action Over the what modified form of another portion of the entire range of temperature to which it may be h m tatically c ntrolled valv an 65 subjected. Figure 9 is an end view of the portion of the A further object is the provision of 'a shock valve illustratedinFigure 8. absorber or rebound [dampener having a thermo- Referring to the drawin n d a and P statically controlled valve which is ellective to larly t Figure the al 10 indicates a D regulate the action of the dampener to a consisttion of the vehiele f am S spe d Supported 70 em dampening action over a greater range of n an xl 12 y means f a prin Th sh ck 5; temperatures than that of dampeners now in absorber rebound dampener generally indiuse. cated, at 15 is rigidly supported on the frame 10 A still further bje t is th provision of h k and is connected to the axle by means of an arm absorber or rebound dampener having a thermo- 17 end a link t k 18 b g connected with 76 statically controlled regulating valve that is fully the arm 17 and e axle y a s o suitable automatic in operation and requires no thought bail and Socket j s. or efl'ort from the driver of the vehicle to give the Referring W t ure the numeral 20 indibest dampening action for any particular set of Oates e pap d ba av n ts Walls exteric dition orly screw threaded at 23 and interiorly screw- It is also an object to provide a device of the threaded at 24 nd av n nwa ly pr j ctcharacter described whichis economical to manuin b ss 25 at the center of the bottom thereof faeture, easy t i t ll d hi h il t readily for a purpose to be later described. A relatively get out of order in use, i fixed disc-shaped cap member 27 having a cen- 30 Other objects and advantages will appear as the tral aperture 28 d an axially extending ei description proceeds. cumferential flange or boss 29 is secured in the The accompanying drawings ho single open end of the cup-shaped base member 20 by chanical embodiment of the device of this invenm n of p ph l r wr a 30 m hin tion, The drawing, however, is to be taken as 'With the screw-threads 24 on the interior of the 5 illustrative only and not as limiting the inven- Wall Of the pap d member A 19- tion, the scope of which is to be measured entirely Shaped p member 32 is secured to the base by th scope of the subjoined laim member 20 by means of interior screw-threads In the drawings: 34 engaging with the exterior screw-threads 23 Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of 011 the Wall Of the pp member an 40 the frame and spring construction of an autoannular chamber 35 being provided between the motive vehicle showing a shock absorber or vibraed cap member 27 and the up-s ap d tion dampener constructed according to the idea eepmember 3 A second annular chamber 37 of this invention applied thereto, is provided between the disk-shaped cap member Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of 2 an h t m nd id w ll f he up 45 Figure 1 through a shock absorber or vibration Shaped base member A tllbllier cylindrical dampener as illustrated in Figure 1, showing a member 38 extends through the cuphap cap thermostatically controlled valve constructed acmember 32 and through the ap 28 n th cording to the idea of this invention incorporated disk-Shaped l member 27 and has an emerged therein, end projecting into the annular chamber 37. The

50 Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale annular chamber 37 is divided into two substanof the rotary piston and thermostatically contially equal semi-circular chambers by inwardlytrolled valve of the shock absorber or rebound projecting fixed vanes 40 and 41, and the endampener illustrated in Figure 2. larged end of the member 38 is providedwith Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of two oppositely extending vanes 43 and 44 which 55 Figure 3. I constitute oscillating pistons movable in the semi- .2 circular chambers of the space 3'7 relative to the cup-shaped base member and the disk-shaped cap member 2'7. The space 3'7 is adapted to be filled with a preferably non-freezable, non-evaporative fluid, and as the vanes or pistons 43 and 44 move in the annular space 3'7, this fluid will be compressed between the leading side of the vanes or pistons and the fixed vanes or partitions in the annular space 3'7. Radial ports 45 and 46 are provided in the enlarged end of the member 38 and a space is provided between the end of the member 38 and the boss to permit the fluid to flow from the compression sides of the pistons 48 and 44 to the opposite sides thereof, and a thermostatically controlled valve, to be later described in detail, is mounted in the enlarged end of the member 38 and interposed between the ports and46 and the space between the end of the member 38 and the boss 25 to control the flow of the fluid from one side to the other of the piston members 43-and 44.

The arm 1'7 is rigidly secured to the outer end of the member 38 by means of a clamp bolt 50 and serrations 51 provided on the end of the member 38, 'and a ring of packing material 53 is compressed between a sloping portion of the member 32 and the beveled end of the boss 29 to prevent fluid from leaking out of the shock absorber around the member 38. A spirally wound thermostatic element extends axially through the member 38 and has one end adjustably seciired in the member 38 by means of the screwthreaded plug 61, and a screw plug 62 closes the end of the member 38. A cylindrical valve member 65 is rigidly secured to the inner end of the thermostatic member 60 and is rotatable by the thermostatic member relative to the member 38 upon changes in temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the shock absorber. A second valve member 6'7 in the form of a spool having radial flanges 68 and 69 at either end thereof and an intermediate circumferential groove '70 is rigidly secured in the enlarged end of the member 38, with the groove '70 between the ports 45 and 46. This member 6'7 is provided with an axial aperture '72 through which the valve member 65 extends and in which the valve member has a close bearing fit.

Referring to Figures 6 and '7, it will be observed that the valve member or spool 6'7 is provided in the groove '70 with a V-shaped cut, or valley, a portion of which extends through the wallof the valve member into the aperture '72, thereby providing a slot '75 in the valve member having a relatively wide center portion tapering toward each end of the slot.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, it will be observed that the valve element 65 is provided in the end thereof remote from the thermostatic elemerit 60 with alongitudinal slot '77 having parallel side walls extending axially of the valve member. As illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, a second slot '78 similar to the'slot '77 may be provided, displaced by a radial angle of substantially from the slot '77.

The operation of the device is as follows: Whenever the pistons 43 and 44 move relative to the base member 20, the fluid contained in the chamber 3'7 will be caused to flow from one side to the opposite side of the pistons through ports 45 and 46, and the space between the end of member 88 and boss 25. The valve mechanism will restrict this flow, thereby causing the shock absorber through the arm 1'7 and link 18 to resist the action of the spring 11.

Up to the present time, no liquid suitable for use in a shock absorber has been found in which the viscosity remains constant during changes in atmospheric temperature. In all cases as the temperature decreases the liquid becomes more viscous and as the temperature increases the liquid becomes thinner and consequently flows more readily. It has, therefore, been found necessary to provide in shock absorbers a thermostatically controlled valve in which the thermostat regulates the valve opening according to the temperature and incidently according to the viscosity of the liquid. cosity diverges somewhat from the temperature curve, it has required a high degree of ingenuity to provide a thermostatically controlled valve in which the valve opening will always be so proportioned to the viscosity of the liquid as to render the dampening action of the shock absorber consistent throughout the entire operative temperature range.

By reason of the tapered form of the slot '75, as the thermostat winds up with decreasing temperature to rotate the element 65 relative to the element 6'7, the slot '77 will move from a narrow to a relatively wider portion of the slot '75, thereby increasing the effective area through the elements 65 and 6'7 not in direct proportion to the temperature variations but more nearly in direct proportion to the curve of liquid viscosity, and as the thermostat unwinds with increasing temperature the slot '77 will move first, from a wider to a narrower part of the slot '75 and after the leading edge of the slot '77 passes the end of the slot '75, a double effect including a reduction both the length and breadth of the aperture will take place. In the case of the modified form utilizing two slots as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9,"the increasing area of the passagewaythrough the valve element will follow the viscosity curve up to the point where the slot "7'7 passes the widest portion of the slot '75. If only the slot '77 were provided and if the temperature continued to decrease from this point, the area of the passageway would decrease and would no longer follow the viscosity curve of the fluid. This defect, however, has been obviated by the provision of the second slot '78 which comes into juxtaposition with the slot '75 at the time the slot '77 passes from the wide toward a narrower portion of the slot '75. The result of this construction is that the rate of increase of the passageway through the valve closely follows the rate of increase of viscosity of the fluid throughout the entire operative temperature range of the shock absorber.

Having now described my invention so that others skilled in the art may clearly understand the same, what I desire to secureby Letters Patent is as follows:

' What I claim:

1. In a thermostatically con olled valve for a vehicle shock absorber, an outer valve member provided with an elongated circumferential slot therethrough, an inner member rotatable relative to said outer member provided with a flat portion underlying said slot, and a thermostat inter-acting between said members torotate said inner member relative to said outer member, whereby the area of the opening through said slot will increase or decrease in direct proportion. to the rate of increase .or decrease of the viscosity-of, the shock absorber liquid throughout the entire op- As the curve of liquid vis-- 2. In a thermostatically controlled valve for a vehicle shock absorber, an inner valve member actuated by said thermostat, an outer valve member surrounding said inner member, said inner member being rotatable relative to said outer gmember, said outer member being provided with a V-shaped slot, and means in said inner member cooperating with said' slot tocause the area of the opening through said valve to increase or decrease in direct proportion to the rate of increase or decrease of the viscosity of the shock absorber liquid throughout the entire operative temperature range of said shock absorber.

3. In a thermostatically controlled .valve for a vehicle shock absorber, an inner valve member actuated by said thermostat, an outer valve member surrounding said inner member provided with a V-shaped slot having a relatively wide central portion and tapering inwardly toward the opposite ends thereof, said inner member being roin said inner member for causing the area of the opening through said valve to increase or decrease in direct proportion to the rate of increase or de-, crease of the viscosity of the shock absorber liqrange of said shock absorber.

4. In a thermostatically controlled valve for a vehicle shock absorber, an inner valve member actuated by said thermostat, an outer member provided with a V,-shaped slot. having a relatively wide central portion and tapering inwardly toward the opposite ends thereof, said inner member being'rotatable relative to said outer member and provided with a longitudinal slot cooperating with the V-shaped slot in said outer member to cause the area of the opening through said valve to increase or decrease in direct proportion to the rate tatable relative to said outer member, and means uid' throughout the entire operative temperature opposite ends thereof, said irmer member being I rotatable relative to said outer member and provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots cooperating with the V-shaped slot in said outer member to cause the area of the opening through said valve to increase or decrease in direct proportion to the rate of increase or decrease of the viscosity of the shock absorber liquid throughout the entire operative temperature range of said shock absorber.

6. In a thermostatically controlled valve for a vehicle shock absorber, an inner valve member' actuated by said thermostat, an outer valve member surrounding said inner member and provided with a V-shaped slot havinga relatively wide central portion and tapering inwardly toward the opposite ends thereof, said inner member ben rotatable relative to said outer member and provided with a pair of longitudinal slots spaced apart less than ninety degrees around the circumference thereof and cooperating with said V- shaped slot to cause the area of the opening 7 through said valve to increase or decrease in direct'proporti'on to the rate of increase or decrease of the viscosity of the shock absorber liquid 

